Electrode connection for electric furnaces.



140. 676,576. I C Patenfed Iune l8, I901.

A. H. ,cowuzs.

ELECTRODE CONNECTION FOB ELECTRIC FURNACES. V

' (Application filed Aug. :30, 1900.

(No Model.)

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ALFRED CO' WLES, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE ELECTRIC SMELTING AND ALUMINUM CO., OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRODE CONNECTION FOR ELECTRIC FURNACES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 676,576, dated June 18, 1901.

Original application filed November 24, 1899, Serial No. 738,201. Divided and this application filed August 30, 1900. Serial No. 28,606- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, ALFRED H. OoWLEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrode Connections for Electric Furnaces, of which the following is the pipe to prevent the outward passage of vapors from the f urnace-chamber around the electrode and the condensation of reduced vapors from clogging up the said pipe.

In the accompanying drawing, forming part of thisapplication, the figure is a central longitudinal section.

The same numeral references denote the same parts in the View of the drawing.

My invention being applicable for general electric -furnace use, I shall only describe a form of furnace for the exemplification' thereof.

The furnace-chamber 1 has a hearth 2 and walls 3, both being permeable to gases and vapors from the chamber. A metallic doublewalled jacket or casing 4, which forms a water or cooling chamber 5, is provided with suitable water inlet and outlet pipes, (not shown,) and the inner wall of the jacket 4: is held away from the carbon hearth 2 and the carbon walls 3 by metallicxblocks or stays 6 to prevent the said inner walls of the jacket from becoming heated to too great a temperature and to form a space 7 between the latter and the walls 3 and. hearth 2, into which the gases and the vapor are discharged from the furnace-chamber 1 through the numerous poresand openings in the walls and hearth'for condensation therein. The purpose of the cooling-jacket is to inaintain the temperature of the space 7 at the proper temperature to effect condensation of the fumes or vapor discharged thereis provided with a discharge-pipe 10 for drawing ofl the products condensed in the space 7.

The top or cover 11 of the furnace is con1- posed of compacted carbon incased outwardly by an iron shell 12, and an insulating material 13 is placed between the cover and the g body of the furnace. The furnace-top is pro vided with an ore-feeding hopper 14, a safetyvalve 15,'and a pressure-gage 16. An electrode 17 extends from the ore charge in the chamber 1 and is attached to an electrode terminal rod 18 by means of metallic plugs 19 and has suitable connections with the elec-' tric circuit generated by'a dynamo or other continuous or alternating current.

My invention lies in the pipe 20, connected to but insulated from the metallic shell 12 of the top or cover 11, through which the electrode 17 passes and plays in the pipe 20. At the top ofthe pipe 20 is a stufling-box 21, through which the electrode-terminal 18 extends, so as to leave the said pipe practically gas=tight, and just below the stuffingbox the said pipe is provided near its top with an inlet-pipe 22, through which a small quantity of hydrocarbon, neutral, or reducing gas or gas-forming liquid is passed into the upper part of the pipe 20 or the open space or chamber left therein above the electrode, which will prevent any small amount of vapor from passing up around the electrode 17. A sufficient amount of hydrocarbon gas can be admitted to the pipe 17 to maintain a slight escape thereof down around the said electrode. One of the cables for the electric current is attached to the rod 18, and the other cable is attached to the casing or jacket 4; at 23 or at any other desired point about the said casing.

Thecourse of the electric current is from the circuit-cable connected:to theelectrodeli' and making a close jointwith the electrode through the ore "charge, the walls an'd hearth 1 so as t'o 'form a ichamb'e'r between. the top of of the furnace-chamber, the stay-blocks, and the electrode and the pipe, and'a gas-inlet to 15' the casing or jacket to the other circuit-ter- I the chamber discharging upon the top of the 5 minal. electrode to prevent the passage of vapor Having thus described my invention, what through said join-t, substanti allyas set forth.

I claim as new, and'desiretosecureby Letters 1" In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand Patent, is- "in the presence of two witnesses, t

' The combination, with an electric smelting- ALFRED II. COWLES. ro furnace havinga closed top, and an electrode Witnesses: 7

extending from the furnace-chamber through NEL'LI'E J. WIL'L'S,

the said top, of a gas-tight pipe fitting around C. A. BENNER. 

